@ crash and burn
those are pretty good waves
my point of view.
the things, i don t like much in LEI ( despite i ride some to test/try out the progress) are, that they aren t stable ( i mean, compared to foil/ARC), correct me if i m too wrong.
when i totally sheet out, i can t control the kite much (slack rear lines) and it will fall down to the water ( not an hinderburg thing, just the side relaunch thing), it won t hang in the air , depowered ( well..it will but not 20/30sec + or 10mn-4h like ARCs)
in waves, they don t float over the waves...they are half in, half out and get tumbled by the waves.and behind u get pushed by the kite, lines under tension = kites might rip apart?
on the other hand, it allows a good depower-no-pull-remaining for waveriding. which is good.
foil/ARC
they are more stable, when u fall, u have a good chance that the kites will remain in the air, bar out.even more for the ARCs which will go to the zenith parked, depowered
foil and arc float over the water ( despite the waves catch exist like for LEIs)
foils can be reverse launched fast in emergency to avoid the wave
ARCS will remain in the air 90% of the time
arcs have still a remaining pull even depowered ( not that good for waveriding) due to the autozenith
foils are more like SLE now.
shit happens anyway with foil,arcs and LEI
gusty conditions.
i prefer ARCs over foils ( despite the new ones with changing projected area are pretty good), ARCs are very good in their upper wind range in gusty conditions but they are controlled like a C-shape , many peeps have a lot of troubles to change their riding style, timimng and so between SLE,bow,C-shape.
dunno if ther are small ARC like a 4 or 6 ( = a 4 SLE) for very high winds.....like yours
the thing i like with ARcs is that when u get tumbled under water, the kite will remain at the zenith, helping pulling you out of the water ( i mean it will act as a lifeline showing u, the air) as it still have a remaining pull, depowered, it might not be a perfect kite for waves.
new foils act like a SLE, u push out, u lose power, kite remains more stable in the air, but dunno what happens to the bridles when it get caught in a wave...the advantage is that they can be relaunched very fast in reverse launch, especially if u put a break line on them.
i prefer a stable kite in thair than a less stable one but with a good relaunch..
my philosphy ( and in LW conditions as well), i d rather have a kite in the air than having to relaunch one), better safe than sorry.
now i understand that anyone can disagree with that.
i like ARC behaviour in the air as they are uber stalbe. i like the new foils behaviour at depowering and good low end, and i like the LEI ability to kill almost all the power and to remain at the side of the window to be relaunched....i just need a mix of all that
)
before I got my 13m Crossbow, I was (and will again!) riding my 19m Synergy in the 25-35 knot gusty westerlies we had here at the end of fall. Gust munching goodness! Well that's big wind and gusty for here 